I Became The King Of Crusaders [EN]: Chapter 29

The Greatest Acquisition Operation (4)

* * *

The next day.

After having breakfast with the Emperor, we immediately set out on a tour of Constantinople.

Our first stop was the Venetian and Genoese concessions, the special economic zones.

As soon as we entered the concession, Marco greeted me.

“Your Excellency! Your Excellency!”

He approached, panting.

A reaction like a fish meeting water.

“I heard that Your Excellency is planning to sponsor a large-scale festival. Is that true?”

“Your information is fast as always. Where did you hear that?”

“Nothing is more valuable to a merchant than information. And a festival can’t be without food, drink, and performances.”

He said, shaking his belly.

“Especially here in Constantinople. If you entrust it to our Venetian trading company, we can offer the fastest and cheapest prices….”

“Ah, there’s something you should hear first.”

I grinned.

He’s already drinking the soup before the kimchi is even made [a Korean proverb meaning he’s counting his chickens before they hatch].

During breakfast this morning, I made a request to the Emperor.

A carrot to entice Venice and other maritime cities.

“His Imperial Majesty mentioned this morning that he is willing to amend some clauses of the Golden Bull,”

I added.

“Especially the parts related to tariffs.”

“Ah, no. Is that really true?!”

Marco’s eyes widened.

Yes, that’s the reaction I wanted.

The Golden Bull.

It referred to the privileges granted by the Eastern Roman Emperor to the maritime cities.

Tax reductions on trade,

Opening of ports and establishment of concessions.

‘Originally, Venice was a province of the Eastern Roman Empire.’

They were granted de facto autonomy with their powerful funds and naval power.

The Eastern Roman Emperors issued the Golden Bull to attract their money.

But since then, several wars have been fought over the leadership.

The most recent victor was the Great Manuel, the father of Emperor Alexios.

After that defeat, Venice suffered from significantly increased tariffs.

“His Imperial Majesty said that he is willing to lower the tariffs to some extent after hearing my words.”

Now, shall we wave the carrot?

“But you know very well that the Romans harbor great animosity towards Venice right now, Mr. Marco.”

“Yes, of course.”

Marco frowned and growled.

“Those merchant types are afraid of competition and try to drive us out by any means….”

“Yes, yes. Anyway, if tariffs are lowered in this atmosphere, public sentiment towards the Emperor will also worsen.”

I interjected.

If I left him alone, he would grumble all day.

The anger towards Western Latins, especially maritime cities, in the Eastern Roman Empire was beyond imagination.

They pay less taxes but make a lot of money.

All the Romans looked at them with such eyes.

‘There’s a reason why massacres happened in the original history.’

I slowly opened my mouth.

“So I came up with a solution. His Imperial Majesty gladly accepted it.”

“A solution….”

“It’s for Venice and the Latin concessions to donate an appropriate amount of money.”

I added.

“Of course, for this festival.”

“That’s….”

Marco muttered with a bewildered expression.

“Of course, we are willing to donate as a token of goodwill, but we can’t afford more than a certain amount.”

He said, shaking his hand.

“The home country will never tolerate such unprofitable spending. My head will be cut off before I can give you the money.”

“I’m not just trying to squeeze money out of you. I’ll leave the preparations for this festival to you.”

I smiled.

I’m not such a bad person.

It would be troublesome if things went wrong with Venice.

“You just need to prepare the festival with the lowest profit margin. Then it’s practically the same as making a donation. Isn’t it?”

My words were simple.

‘Work for free, please.’

The important thing is to present a carrot that the maritime cities can accept.

“If this festival goes well, the public sentiment of the Romans will change greatly. Tariff reductions will also become possible. I believe you know what I mean.”

“Yes, of course, Your Excellency.”

Marco swallowed hard.

“I made this suggestion to His Majesty, thinking about the interests of you as well as myself. So if you try to play around with the price, the situation may become difficult.”

I took out a piece of paper from my pocket.

“Then let’s start by organizing the details related to the festival.”

There are so many things to do.

But if I’m going to spend money, I should spend it as efficiently as possible.

The agreement with Marco was concluded several hours later.

But there was still work to be done.

* * *

“That is the almshouse built by Alexios I. The entire area centered around the dome is part of the almshouse.”

A nobleman in splendid clothes continued the explanation.

This is the third time we’ve stopped on the road like this.

Every time we pass a road, nearby nobles pop out and guide me and us.

Did the Emperor order them to be daily guides?

I listened to the explanations with one ear and let them flow out the other.

But Ayge was different.

“That such a large area is all an almshouse….”

Ayge muttered.

Small buildings were attached to the huge circular dome.

“It’s like another city within the city?”

“It’s certainly large in scale. It’s about a hundred times larger than the headquarters of the Knights Hospitaller in Jerusalem.”

I muttered.

Like Ayge said, it was closer to another city than a relief center.

There was nothing small in Constantinople.

‘I should have applied for a Turkish exchange student if I knew Constantinople was like this. Of course, in the 21st century, it’s Istanbul, not Constantinople.’

Hmm, this sentence feels familiar.

“The almshouse is not the only one.”

The nobleman who was guiding us cleared his throat.

“There is also the Pantokrator Monastery and the general hospital built by Emperor John II and Empress Irene. There are hundreds of beds and professional doctors as well….”

His explanation continued endlessly.

We finally arrived at our destination, the Hagia Sophia, after stopping several more times.

Hagia Sophia.

The cathedral where the emperors and empresses of the Eastern Roman Empire were crowned.

“This cathedral, built after six years of great history, is the most beautiful dedicated to the Lord….”

They built this in just six years?

I stared blankly at the huge dome.

An absurdly magnificent scale.

Even the worshipers filling the inside.

“It’s certainly big and beautiful, but….”

Wigge muttered.

“It feels somewhat lacking compared to the sacredness of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre [a significant Christian pilgrimage site in Jerusalem].”

“That’s something that can’t be filled with even the largest stone.”

I said with a smile.

I thanked the nobles who followed us appropriately and entered the cathedral.

Ayge, Wigge, and the other soldiers followed.

As we entered, clergymen gathered one by one.

They wore similar clothes to the clergymen in Jerusalem, but the details were subtly different.

Orthodox Church.

It’s been quite a while since the Roman Catholics separated from them.

No, they haven’t completely separated yet.

‘In the first place, the Crusades were started by the Eastern Roman Emperor asking the Roman Pope.’

Who would have predicted that the Crusades would later destroy the empire?

Lost in thought, an old man in a white priest’s robe approached.

Other high-ranking clergymen stood next to him.

Is he the Patriarch of Constantinople?

“May the Lord Jesus Christ have mercy. Theodosius, this humble one, greets the honorable guests from the Holy Land.”

“This humble one greets the noble Patriarch.”

I said.

I can’t get used to this formality.

Patriarch of Constantinople.

Nominally the same position as the Roman Pope.

They always growled at each other like children fighting over a toy car.

“It seems you have come to pray. We were about to start the ceremony.”

“Before that, I have something to offer first, Your Holiness. Let’s go to a quieter place.”

“Of course.”

Arriving in a room, I signaled to Ayge.

The soldiers placed several crates in front of the Patriarch.

The Patriarch’s eyebrows rose when he saw it.

“This is…?”

“This is a donation for the Christians of Constantinople. And a hundred pieces of silver have been prepared for each of the high-ranking clergymen.”

“A very generous donation.”

Patriarch Theodosius said.

I could feel his curiosity.

“No delegation has ever made such a donation to this church of the Lord.”

He gave a faint smile.

“I’m worried that this is too much for us to receive….”

The Patriarch’s words were simple.

‘What do you want in return for giving us this money?’

As expected of the Patriarch.

You need political instinct, senses, and luck to get to that position.

I slowly opened my mouth.

“I heard that Latins from the West, like me, are causing various problems in the empire. If we can relieve the suffering of the believers who have been harmed by it, this amount of money is not too much.”

I added.

“It will also greatly help to maintain the unity of the empire and the authority of His Imperial Majesty.”

Let me summarize what I said this time.

‘Please appease the grumbling kids.’

The Patriarch smiled knowingly.

“Of course, Your Excellency. Now that such a devout person is in Jerusalem, the Holy Land has nothing to worry about.”

He said.

“I will also tell our bishops. All the Christians of the empire will know about Your Excellency and the generosity of the Kingdom of Jerusalem.”

“I don’t know how to thank you, Your Holiness.”

I bowed my head.

Donating with money earned from alcohol.

It’s somewhat ironic.

“It is all the will of the Lord Jesus Christ. Then let’s go pray now.”

“I understand.”

Ayge approached me.

“I’m going to suffocate. In the morning, the Venetians and Genoese. Now the cathedral. And then….”

“We have to visit the great nobles too. I have to give them the elixir.”

I said with a smile.

The elixir was a gift for the great nobles.

Since it’s an expensive and rare item, the nobles will be the most pleased.

“A festival for the citizens, donations for the clergy, and elixirs for the nobles.”

Ayge muttered.

“Anyone would think you’re trying to buy Constantinople whole.”

“That’s right. That’s exactly what I want.”

The bell rang, signaling the start of the service.

I sighed without realizing it.

I wonder how long the service will take in this era.

* * *

1181, Constantinople.

One year after the new emperor ascended the throne.

A rumor shook the capital.

It was about the festival.

A rumor spread that a huge festival was going to be held unexpectedly.

“Have you heard the news? They say they’re holding some kind of festival to commemorate the arrival of the Jerusalem delegation.”

“Holding a festival for just a delegation visit? They must have money to burn.”

“Isn’t this a true waste of taxes?”

At first, the citizens reacted negatively.

But as another piece of news spread, the atmosphere changed completely.

“The delegation is sponsoring the entire festival?”

“Free food and chariot races? No, where did they say the application place was?”

As money circulated, the streets were filled with vitality, and the clergymen also poured out favorable words to the Latins.

The rumors didn’t end there.

The representative of the Jerusalem delegation.

Baldwin’s actions became the hottest topic in the capital.

“That Baldwin guy who came from Jerusalem, they say he goes around the almshouses and takes care of the sick.”

“Such a high-ranking person? There must be something in Jerusalem.”

In that atmosphere, 1181 was heading towards its end.

The end of the hottest and coldest year was approaching.